1-Handed BH Service Return Tips Anyone?

[jayserinos99]

Lately I've been toying with the idea of switching to a 1-handed backhand in practice sessions. I can drive it consistently off the ground, but having a hard time hitting it on the return of serve. It feels like I'm hitting really late and having to end up arming the ball over. I really don't want to be limited to a slice return on my backhand wing. FYI, I have been hitting my 1-handed backhands with an Eastern bh grip.

[johnsheff]

Get someone to hit practice serves to you; attempt to take the returns early and hit them hard. concentrate on :
a) keeping the racquet face under control
b) Lifting the strings through the hit
c) Getting some weight transfer into the shot

[VJH]

I switched to a one hander last April. I became proficient off the ground rather quickly. I'm only now starting to become dangerous. Finally, after 10 months, I am at a point where I can start to return with Top Spin. It will take a lot of hard work and frustration. I came close to changing back several times. Essentially, you need to start with your hands well in front of you and take a terribly short backswing. It is important to alight your racket hand behind the path of the incoming serve, so that if you weren't holding a racket, you would literally catch the serve. Once in this position, you pull the butt of the racket towards the ball. The swing is very short, with little follow through on serves that are hit with pace.

[VJH]

I switched to a one hander last April. I became proficient off the ground rather quickly. I'm only now starting to become dangerous. Finally, after 10 months, I am at a point where I can start to return with Top Spin. It will take a lot of hard work and frustration. I came close to changing back several times. Essentially, you need to start with your hands well in front of you and take a terribly short backswing. It is important to align your racket hand behind the path of the incoming serve, so that if you weren't holding a racket, you would literally catch the serve. Once in this position, you pull the butt of the racket towards the ball. The swing is very short, with little follow through on serves that are hit with pace.

[@wright]

VJH is right, it's a very short swing and you're putting little effort into it, just get the racquet moving to the ball and let it plow through, I'm sure the serve will provide you with plenty of pace.

[Bungalo Bill]

Be careful how yor feet are working. If you step across with your right foot to hit the shot, you will most likely be late. Learn to step out with the foot closest to the ball, show the butt cap at the ball, then pull the butt cap across you body.

All you need to do is get the butt cap behind the ball then hit. Nothing else. Your shoulders will turn naturally and be sure to step first with the foot cloest to the ball, set it, then transfer the weight forward with the racquet.

If you take a backswing and step across, the butt of your racquet will face the side fence. Big no-no for the onehander. Especially on the return of serve.

[Momo]

Hey Bill, I'm a bit confused by your comment about stepping forward with the closer foot (left foot for right-handers). Wouldn't that put you in a really open stance position? Am I misunderstanding or is the one handed backhand return almost a totally distinct stroke from a regular one handed topspin stroke, because it seems that way from how you describe the shot?

Thanks.

[jun]

I have one handed backhand and have trouble with return as well.

Common tips are very short backswing (or none), block it back.
You want to turn shoulder quickly as well.

It's a tough shot.

BBill-
Wouldn't swinging across the body cause the shoulder to open up too soon? And possible shanking? For one hander the shoulder has to remain closed (stay in line with the aim)

[C_Urala]

For returns, I use 2hbh. In all other cases, I use 1hbh.
It's sort of compromise but I can not see any drawback..
Your thoughts?

[kreative]

c_urala,

i think if you can do it, then great! i think taylor dent did this in some of his matches against big servers.

as for 1 handed backhand flat/topspin returns, i would suggest a short backswing, and remember to follow through on your shot. perhaps try setting up a bit back more than usual and step into the shot. to be really effective on the return, have good anticipation step in and swing early. make sure to make contact out in front. if you're hitting it late, you're not getting the racquet out in front (ideal contact point for 1 handed backhand). 2 handed backhands are a bit more lenient as they can be hit late yet still have a nice solid shot w/ directional control.

[@wright]

BTW, once you get this down, you'll absolutely LOVE high bouncing kick serves and high topspin serves, because you can take them early and rope them down the line for winners! I have the most trouble with low serves with lots of pace, because it's easy to hit those long, but when that kick serve gets up into your strike zone, your opponent will be pulling out his hair, it's great!

[Bungalo Bill]

Originally Posted by Momo

Hey Bill, I'm a bit confused by your comment about stepping forward with the closer foot (left foot for right-handers). Wouldn't that put you in a really open stance position? Am I misunderstanding or is the one handed backhand return almost a totally distinct stroke from a regular one handed topspin stroke, because it seems that way from how you describe the shot?

Thanks.

Sometimes, it is more of a semi-open stance and it depends on how wide the ball is. With a good shoulder turn and learning to block the ball, you can stay balanced and keep the ball going in the direction you want it to go. The foot closest to the ball should be moving first irregardless - even on your groundstrokes. If it is a slower ball you will have time to transfer your weight forward on the front foot, if not you will only have time to load and fire.

What you dont want to do is over turn by stepping across your dominant foot to much, this will get a onehander in a lot of trouble.

If I am playing a onehander, and I notice when I hit a serve to his backhand side and he is stepping across his body, I will wait for the right time and hit him a wide serve to the backhand (doesnt matter which side of the court) and come in to volley away the weak reply.

[Bungalo Bill]

Originally Posted by jun

I have one handed backhand and have trouble with return as well.

Common tips are very short backswing (or none), block it back.
You want to turn shoulder quickly as well.

It's a tough shot.

BBill-
Wouldn't swinging across the body cause the shoulder to open up too soon? And possible shanking? For one hander the shoulder has to remain closed (stay in line with the aim)

I think I confused you. Basically, if your butt cap is facing the ball. When you sort of pull the butt cap towards the ball, the butt cap will be traveling across the front of your body before it breaks off diagonally to bring the racquet face into the ball. Their is a good video called Right Back Atcha Returns that teach a onehander how to hit wide balls etc. It has some good info in the video on how to read a server etc.

[Bungalo Bill]

There are several inherent problems with the onehander that all you who hit it must begin to work on or understand, otherwise you will continue to be great one day and messing up the next, or great one set and terrible the next.

Revolutionary Tennis puts it in the best way possible. I provide links below to three of the most important things to learn from this site. I think Mark's findings are right on. I don't go as far as he does by downplaying the "establishment" afterall I belong to the "establishment" but I think that a lot of his stuff is good and can really help improve your onehanded backhand. His information on balance, movement, vision and the use of the legs I think is very good.

Vision: Keep both eyes on the ball!

Moving to the ball: Move the right way to return properly.

Balance and Footwork:You must improve the use, strength and coordination of your non-dominant leg!

[jayserinos99]

Bill you are the man for the links, thanks!!

Thanks to everyone else as well!

[BullDogTennis]

i was havin trouble with this...and this is good advice im bringin it back!

[Steady Eddy]

Once I read that on the serve return you should hold the racquet parallel to the ground, not cocked upward. For some reason they said that this prevents you from taking too big of a backswing, for which there isn't time on a serve return. I didn't really understand why that should prevent a big backswing, but I tried it and it seemed to work! Now, whenever I'm returning serve, I concentrate on keeping my racquet parallel to the ground.

[Rickson]

Try slicing some returns of serve. Works great for Federer and it's bailed me out of some monster serves to my backhand too.

[Fumoffu]

like rickson said, if all else fails and you just cannot handle the pace or height (or perhaps both?) of your opponents serve, don't be afraid to slice a few. being rigid in any aspect of tennis is generally bad anywho.

[BullDogTennis]

my problem is hard shots seem to shoot up on slices.